Fire-box for locomotive-boilers.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 190.3.

L. 8: G. GLOVBR & D. GROWTHER. FIRE BOX FOR-.LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS.

AIPPLIOATIQN FILED NOV. 1' 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

1m MODEL.

PATENTED JUNE 16; 1903. L. & G. GLOVER 6: D. GROWTHEB... FIRE BOX FOR LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

isio. 736,964.

UNITED STATES Patented J'une 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD GLOVER, CLARENCE GLOVER, AND DAVID CROWTHER, OF

LEEDs, ENGLAND. I

FIRE-BOX FOR LOCOMOT lVE-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,904, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed November 1 1902. Serial No. 129,702. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LEONARD GLovER, CLARENCE GLovER, and DAVID ORCWTHER, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of WVortley, in the city of Leeds, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in or in Connection with Fire-Boxes of Locomotive-Boilers and of Boilers of a Similar Type, (for which we have applied for patents in England, No. 8,134, bearing date April 8, 1902; in Germany, bearing date October 21, 1902; in France, No. 314,899, bearing date October S, 1902, and in Belgium, No. 132,266, bearing date October 8, 1902,) of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention are to increase the steaming capacity of such boilers by increasing the heating-surface of the hottest part of the boiler and increasing the circulation of the water in the boiler and to reduce the wear and tear of the fire-box, thereby lengthening the life of the fire-box by protecting the longitudinal sides of the fire-box from the full heat of the fire as well as by the increased circulation of the water down the water-space between these sides of the fire-box and the corresponding sides of the fire-box shell.

The above objects we attain by combining with such fire-boxes L-shaped or approximately L-shaped water-tubes having the vertical or approximately vertical limbs of adjoining tubes close or near to opposite sides of the fire-box, those of alternate tubes close or near to the same side of the fire-box,while the horizontal or approximately horizontal limbs run across the boiler and project into the water-space a short distance above the foundation-ring on the sides opposite the verticallimbs, respectively, the upperends of the vertical limbs projecting through the roof.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, to which reference is had in the following description.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a cross-section, of a locomotive fire-box constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the arrangement of our invention whereby a greater ratio of the air-inlet space to the total grate area can be obtained than given by the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a special arrangement of the horizontal limbs. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the grate-bar g.

a Z) and a 1) indicate the L-shaped watertubes, a and a being the vertical or approximately vertical limbs and b and I) being the horizontal or approximately horizontal limbs of the same, respectively. The vertical limbs a are placed near or close to the longitudinal side of the fire-box (indicated by the reference-letter c) and the vertical limbs a near to the side 0. The upper ends of the vertical limbs are screwed on the outside and pass through the roof of the fire-box, (marked (1.)

They are secured in position by a taper ferrule f, provided with a six or eight sided collar and tapped on the inside,'so as to screw on the ends of the limbs and screwed on the outside, so as to screw into the roof-plate (Z. If the ferrule is to be screwed into position without altering the position to Which the end of the limb has been adjusted, the threads on the inside and on the outside of the ferrule will be of the same hand, while if the tube has to be drawn up into position the threads will be of opposite hand. The upper part of the limb may be slightly cranked, as shown, either or both for the purpose of conveniently spacing them according to the position of the roof-supports and the radius of the curves joining the-roof (Z and the sides 0 0", or-and for influencing the combustionin the upper part of the fire-box. If preferred, the taper ferrule, screwed or not screwed,

may be inserted from the top or water side of the fire-box.

The horizontal or approximately horizontal limbs l) and I) run transversely across the bottom of the fire-box at 'a level 1 slightly higher than the top of the foundation-ring 6, so that the end of any one horizontal limb passes through the fire-box side plate into the water-space at the opposite side of the fire-box to the vertical limb of the same water-tube that is, the ends of the limbs marked 1) are fitted through the lower part of the horizontal side 6 and the ends of the limbs marked 1) through the bottom part of the side plate 0, to which side plates the ends are secured area is too small, say, for the class of fuel and available force of the blast, this may be increased by spacing the tubes farther apart and placing a thin grate-bar 9, Fig. 1, between adjoining horizontal limbs to prevent the fuel falling through. As this arrangement, however, reduces the maximum number of water-tubes which can be got in the fire-box, where it is desirable to retain the maximum number of water-tubes we arrange adjoining horizontal limbs at different levels,

as shown in Fig 3, with transverse grate-bars g between the horizontal limbs b, forming the upper row. The same object is attained by cranking the horizontal limb of every water-tube, as illustrated by the cross-section, Fig. 4, so that Fig. 3 would also represent a longitudinal section on line A B of Fig. 4. In this case the length of the intervening gratebars 9 would be nearly half the inside width of the fireebox and the grate-bars would be widened out toward the fire-box sides, as shown by the plan of such a grate-bar in Fig. 5.

A swing drop-grate 71- may be provided at the lower end of the grate-bar for the removal of the fire or ashes.

The number of water-tubes which according to this invention can be got into the the box will depend on the area of air-space required by the fuel and the available blastpressure and the space required to get at the hexagonal or eight-sided collars of the ferrules f, the maximum number being nearly equal to the available length of the fire-box sides, divided by the outside diameter of the water-tubes.

WVhere liquid fuel, such as petroleum, is

used, we propose to duplicate the arrange ment by putting a second series of the L.- shaped water-tubes within the firstthat is, the vertical limbs of the second series are placed somewhat farther away from the firebox sides and the horizontal limbs somewhat higher, though this arrangement does not increase the number of tubes which can be got inside the fire-box.

It will be evident that the above are not separate inventions, but merely changes in the arrangement or form of parts of the in-' vention called for by the varied conditions which obtain in connection with the use of the invention.

The advantages also are more or less selfevident. There is first a very great increase in the heating-surface in the fire-boxthat is, at the hottest part of the boiler, where it is of the greatest use. The water is caused to circulate down the water-space between the fire-box and the fire-box shell and up the water-tubes, and this circulation is promoted where the water in the boiler has the greatest depth, and consequently the maximum circulating effect. So far as the inventors are aware there has previously been no effective or proper provision for the circulation of the water in the water-space between the fire-box and the fire-box shell. Further, besides the protection which the water-tubes themselves afford to the longitudinal sides of the fire-box from the intense heat of the fire the circulation thus obtained tends to keep down the temperature of thesesides, so that racking of the stay-bolts, leakage around the heads of the stay-bolts, and fracture of the stay-bolts and blistering and bellying of the side plates are all obviated or reduced to a minimum.

Further, as adjoining vertical limbs are always at least one diameters distance apart andare not quite close against the fire-box sides efficient inspection of the stay-bolt heads is not hindered; also, as the watertubes are free to expand no detrimental strain is thrown onto them or their connections tothe fire-box plates.

We are aware'that water-tube grate-bars have been previously used in locomotive fireboxes and do not, therefore, make any general claim for such; and,

Having above fully described our invention, we declare that what we do claim as our invention, and d esire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A fire-box having a fiat roof and a rectangular horizontal section, surrounded by a water-space which is closed at the bottom by a foundation-ring e,in combination with a series of L-shaped water-tubes inclosed therein, having their vertical limbs arranged alternately close to opposite longitudinal sides of the said box and their horizontal limbs extending across the fire-box, their ends proj ecting into the said water-space. just above the said foundation ring substantially as set forth.

2. In boilers of the locomotive type the combination with the roof-plate (Z and longitudinal sides 0 o of the fire-box of L-shaped watertubes at b a b and grate-bars g all substantially as set forth.

' In boilers of the locomotive type the combination with the roof-plate d and longitudinal sides 0 c of the fire-box of L-shaped watertubes a b a I) having the adjoining horizontal limbs at different levels and grate-bars g inserted between the horizontal limbs b of the upper row substantially as set forth.

LEONARD GLOVER. CLARENCE GLOVER. DAVID CRONVTHER.

Vitnesses:

' J. CLARK JEFFERSON,

ERNEST JACKSON. 

